Co-operative Bank of Kenya has reaffirmed its leadership in agricultural finance by backing the tea industry with a platinum sponsorship at the inaugural KTDA Magazine launch and Farmer First Mantra Prospectus unveiling, held on July 3rd and 4th, 2025, at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi.
The high-level event brought together representatives of more than 260,000 smallholder farmers, tea factory directors, and industry stakeholders under KTDA’s rallying cry: Farmer First. It facilitated the launch of a comprehensive magazine aimed at providing farmers, partners, and stakeholders with deeper insights into Kenya’s tea industry and opportunities for active participation in its growth.
Speaking about the strategic partnership, Co-operative Bank Group Managing Director and CEO Dr. Gideon Muriuki emphasized the bank’s commitment to the sector. “We have a long-standing history of supporting the co-operative sector in Kenya, including extensive engagement with the tea industry. Through our comprehensive financial solutions, we continue to empower the more than 260,000 smallholder tea farmers who form the backbone of Kenya’s tea industry, a key contributor to our national economy.”
As part of its efforts to empower smallholder tea farmers, Co-operative Bank has an ongoing partnership with, Greenland Fedha, to enhance access to credit across the tea sector. Through this arrangement, farmers can access instant loans ranging from KES 100 to KES 20,000 directly via their mobile phones, creating a convenient, barrier-free solution that eliminates delays and travel. This mobile-enabled financing model is transforming how smallholder farmers access capital, providing timely support when it’s needed most.
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The partnership will provide farmers with access to approximately KES 1.2 billion in short-term credit facilities, removing traditional barriers to agricultural financing and enabling real-time investment in inputs, tools, and farm improvements.
Vincent Kihara, Head of Corporate Banking at Co-operative Bank of Kenya, speaking at the launch, emphasised the bank’s commitment to practical, farmer-focused solutions. “Our partnership with KTDA is not just about financing – it’s about fuelling progress for every farmer. From mobile credit to green energy and tailored financial tools, we’re enabling farmers to grow stronger, faster, and more sustainably.”
As a key financial partner for all nine KTDA subsidiaries and the majority of Kenya’s tea factories, Co-operative Bank manages a comprehensive suite of services including payment processing for tea proceeds, working capital financing, cash management solutions, and advisory services.
The bank’s strategic focus on the tea sector aligns with KTDA’s management of more than 55 percent of Kenya’s tea production, making this partnership crucial for the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farming families across the country.
The KTDA magazine launch and Farmer First Mantra prospectus provided stakeholders with insights into future strategies and opportunities within Kenya’s tea industry, reinforcing the sector’s position as a critical pillar of the national economy.
